The Tesco Christmas advert is just what we need to brighten up this festive season

The Tesco Christmas advert 2020 is certainly different to the festive adverts we're used to this time of year. But that is exactly what everyone is loving about it. 

Whilst John Lewis' 2020 advert has once again got us in tears and Disney's advert is an emotional watch too, Tesco has suggested that 74% of the nation wanted to see light-hearted content in this year’s Christmas advert. 

The hilarious video certainly does that. It taps into the day-to-day shortcuts many people made throughout the pandemic. 

With the message that there's no Naughty List this year, Brits are being encouraged to treat themselves. After all, we deserve it!

What is the Tesco Christmas advert about?

Opening in a Tesco store, the advert then moves across the UK and follows several people preparing for the festive season. Viewers get a hilarious insight into each character’s inner monologue. Each believes they might not have escaped being featured on Santa’s naughty list this year.

They make confessions, ranging from giving family members horrific haircuts, to stock-piling loo rolls and even lying to the kids to get some much-needed peace and quiet. Each of the characters then debate whether they are allowed a festive treat.

It is then that Tesco comes to their rescue. The voice of the all-knowing supermarket tells them not to think twice about these small indiscretions. Given the challenges 2020 has posed, they are more than deserving of a little treat. It seems the time has come to tuck into some fine food and drink and spoil ourselves. 

And if that’s not enough to brighten your day, the advert is accompanied by Britney Spears’ much-loved classic - Oops!...I Did it Again. Comedian Asim Chaudhry provides the voice-over, adding yet another light-hearted element to what is usually a more solemn affair.

Why did Tesco try something different this year? 

Chief Customer Officer at Tesco Alessandra Bellini talked of how they’re aware “the festive ads mark the start of the season for a lot of people”. She went on to reveal how people responded to the concept initially. 

“When we talked to friends, colleagues and customers about the concept, everyone instantly confessed to the naughty things they’ve done during 2020 with a wry smile,” she said.

Bellini also revealed her belief that the Tesco Christmas advert this year is “really relatable”. She added, “we hope it resonates with people and gets them talking.”

How have people responded?

On Twitter, people have praised the advert’s hilarious tone. One user wrote, ‘Absolutely awesome. Love the realism’. 

Another user praised how the advert sums “2020 up in an instant” with the idea that we should be allowed to treat ourselves. 

Whilst another was inspired by the music choice to suggest that Britney should reach Christmas Number 1 this year with Oops...I Did It Again. 

And some people even wrote that they preferred Tesco’s advert to other competitor averts “from a creative point of view”. 

This isn’t the only advert this year to take a lighter approach. Lidl has now released their own Christmas advert and it’s just as playful. Some have even suggested that Lidl’s advert pokes fun at competitor supermarket Aldi’s Kevin the Carrot. 

With so many festive adverts being released, it’s often hard to stand out from the crowd. 

But with its light-hearted approach and iconic soundtrack, the Tesco Christmas advert has done just that.